


In My Defense

by deo-agent (WillowRoseBrook)



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, No One Can Say No to Kara, School, Training, this is such an old drabble
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2016-04-23
Packaged: 2018-06-04 02:12:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6636904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WillowRoseBrook/pseuds/deo-agent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kara convinces Hank and Alex to help her teach self defense to junior high kids.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prolouge

            They tried to stick together whenever Kara was around, because Hank said Alex caved too easily. Alex, however, knew he was just as susceptible to Kara’s puppy dog eyes as she was. So when Kara had come to them with her request, they’d looked first at each other and shaken their heads.

            “Come on,” Kara had pleaded, “It’s for a good cause. The kids’ll love you.”

            That’s how Hank and Alex ended up in the gymnasium of a junior high school, rolling out mats and wearing more padding than Alex had seen in her years at the DEO.

            They leaned against the wall, eying each other while Supergirl gave a lecture about self defense and safety.

            “This isn’t about being a hero,” she said. “What you’re going to learn is only to be used for defense. In case someone else, like me, isn’t there to help you. This is about staying safe.”

            Alex snorted a little, and Hank gave her a knowing smile.

            “I want you to meet my friends, Hank and Alex. They’re going to help you learn how to defend yourselves.”

            A teacher led the applause, and the pair stepped forward from the wall, waving awkwardly.

            “I just want to reiterate what Supergirl said. Hopefully, you’ll never need to use what you learn today.”

            “This week!” corrected Kara with the biggest grin.

            “Week?” said Alex. Her eyes met Hanks’. He let out a breath.

            They both needed some work on overriding Kara’s “yes” powers.


	2. Day One

 

DAY ONE: 6th GRADE

 

            “Today you’re going to learn how to break an attacker’s grip.”

            “How about how to break their nose? With my fist!”

            “Punching,” said Hank, “Comes tomorrow.”

            Alex was holding back laughter. She’d never been too good with kids. Either wanted to lock them in a cell at the DEO or laugh at their mischief, and neither were appropriate discipline options.

            Hank and Alex lead a demonstration, Hank grabbing her wrist and Alex wrenching it free. She showed the group a shin-rake foot-stomp, and several other distraction techniques. It was a dance, her and Hank, compared to their normal training routines. It felt like going back to day one.

            Except on day one, he had flung her to the floor and taught her by doing. She’d gone home with more bruised skin than not.

            Supergirl broke the kids up into groups, and assigned Hank and Alex each a line. The first girl had the technique down perfectly. The second was afraid of hurting Alex.

            “Believe me, I’ll be fine. I fight bad guys for a living. And I’m wearing protective padding.” The little blond thing tentatively kicked her foot and attempted to pull, the wrong way, from Alex’s grip.

            “Try again,” she instructed. “Remember, the weakest point is where my fingers meet.”

            The next girl had a little too much aggression. Alex made a mental note to stick her in Hank’s group when it came to more attack based methods. Her kids finished ahead of Hank’s, and she let them sit down to watch their classmates.

            “I’m going to grip your wrist a little harder this time,” he was explaining to a tall brunette who looked like she’d rather be _anywhere_ else. “Like it’d be in real life.” She swung her arm around _,_ but neglected to take her body with her, and ended up in an uncomfortably twisted position.

            “Oh, that’s alright!” said Kara. “You can try again later.”

            Alex didn’t know who looked more disappointed at the prospect, Hank or the girl.

            The last student in line was a boy reeking of overconfidence and puberty. He broke easily from Hank’s first grip and took a step back.

            “Try again,” said Hank.

            “You can go full out on me, old man,” he triumphantly declared. “I could beat you any day.”

            “Try again,” said Hank calmly, the expression on his face tight, the one Alex called his “I’m disgusted, and about to teach you a lesson” face.

            His arm went around the boy’s wrist. He didn’t even bother with a distraction technique, just launched himself free.

            He did not succeed.

            “Ow,” said the boy when Hank finally released his wrist with a raised eyebrow.

            “Watch it,” said Hank.

            Supergirl did not look happy.

            They went on to escaping shoulder grips, and everything went much more smoothly, aside from a girl who screeched when Alex touched her because she was ticklish.

            “Good,” said Supergirl. “If you’re ever attacked you want to make a lot of noise so someone can come help you.”

            _Unfortunately,_ it was time for the class to leave before they could practice that particular technique. Supergirl walked the kids to the door, waving goodbye.

            “Good luck,” said a teacher as she trailed behind her class. “Seventh graders are the worst.”

 

7th Grade

            Alex turned to Hank, eyebrows raised, as soon as everyone had exited the room.

            “No super strength,” Kara scolded Hank. He shrugged.

            “Please. I didn’t.”

            “They’re kids.”

            “A teacher just told me that seventh graders are the worst,” interrupted Alex.

            “They’re kids,” Kara repeated.

            The seventh graders would not listen. They would not sit still. They would not stop talking. Half were obsessed with Supergirl, and swarming her while Alex attempted to teach, and the other half had decided to practice their new moves on each other. Alex’s eyes met Hank’s again across the din, and he shook his head. The things they did for Kara.

            “Take a lap!” Alex shouted. “You hear me!”

            Thirty-seven pairs of feet were pounding on the gym floor before Alex spoke again.

            “Foot stomp. This is how we do it.”

            In the moments that they were under control, the seventh graders were much more concentrated than the sixth graders. One boy in particular took the lesson so seriously that Alex considered offering him a place at the DEO. They moved on to teaching how to get out of a bear hug grip, and Alex threw Hank to the ground.

            “She’s strong,” he panted, and Alex rolled her eyes.

            Hank let every one of the kids throw him to the floor, and it was kind of endearing, watching triumphant twelve year olds stand proudly over Hank Henshaw, head of the DEO, Martian Manhunter.

            “We’re starting with the running tomorrow.”

            “Something tells me that that’s a trick that will only work once,” said Hank.

            “Hope!” said Cara, all she had time for before the last group filed into the gym. Hank gave her his biggest, fakest smile, and Alex laughed out loud.

 

8th Grade

            “I promise, you’re not going to hurt me,” Hank told yet another student, releasing her from his grip. She shook her head, mumbled sorry, and filed off before Supergirl could make her try again.

            “Alex, come here,” said Hank, and Alex left her own line to themselves. “This is what I do every day. _I’ll_ be fine.” He gave her a slow nod, and Alex launched herself forward. It was an all out sparring match, and it felt good to let go for a moment, felt good not to be careful not to grip tiny wrists too hard. Hank was letting her win, she knew, when she pinned him against the mat in under three minutes. Their eyes met, chests heaving. He tapped out. Alex climbed off.

            They had made their point. Supergirl, again, looked dissatisfied. Alex did not like the way some of the teenage boys were looking at her.

            Alex actually felt some power behind the next kick to her shin, and gave the girl who dealt it a pleased smile.

 

            After it was all said and done, Alex and Hank sat on the mat, peeling off their layers of Velcro padding.

            “Same time tomorrow,” said Supergirl cheerfully, flying off into the sunset. Hank and Alex were exhausted. They went for ice cream.


End file.
